Difference between Associate - XXX (practice area) and Associate?

Question

Hi everyone,

I was on McKinsey website browsing through job opportunities when I saw that McKinsey is looking to recruit both Associate (generalist) and Associate within a specific practice area.

Is there any difference in the career progression, salaries, etc... for these 2 associate positions (and after)? It seems that the Consultant in practice does not follow the expert track but stays on the "generalist" track. Is that correct? If so, what would be the difference then between the expert track and the generalist - practice tracks ?

Would someone be able to enlighten me?

Thanks,

Chris

Answer 1

Hi Chris,
there is no difference in terms of salary, career progression, and exit opportunities (you will be known as a McK consultant, not as e.g. an operations McK consultant). The only difference regards the type of projects you are going to work on: a specialist consultant has to spend at least 70% of the engagements on his practice.

Hope it helps,
Antonello

Answer 2

Hi,

Being in a Practice Associate versus Generalist Associate has only a couple of differences:

You will have a certain share of projects attributed to this practice (The exact % depends on the practice / geography)
You might be traveling more since the practice projects are spread in different geographies
Your local office can't make any staffing decisions without the practice approval
You can have specialized trainings

Everything else, including career growth, will be similar to the generalist path, if you start as an associate

Best

Answer 3

Hello!

The only difference is in terms of the content of the engagements that you will be working at, being most of them in your area of expertise.

This can indirectly impact other things such as lifestyle -tends to be better when you know the industry and you are working as an expert- and the amount of traveling -that is higher-.

The rest -salary, job opportunities after, title, etc.- it´s exactly the same.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Answer 4

Hello Chris,

There is no difference at all. You can see the "practice area" as a preference that you give HR staff for your projects. Consider also that, if there are no projects in pipeline in that area, you will be staffed on other projects.
Having said that, you have to be careful just in terms of career progression, because you will be considered for the project leader position just for the practice that you choose. If your practice is not growing, then you could find some troubles to become a manager.

Hope it helps,
Luca